[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

"Yes. Layn."
There was a silence in the room so utterly sudden that the sound of the woman's name seemed to echo
endlessly.
Dana closed her eyes, feeling her heart shatter. It was true. Now she knew it was true.
"In that case," Dirk said quietly, "I think Dana and I will drive down to Savannah for the day on
Sunday."
Gannon started to speak, stopped and smiled faintly. "Perhaps that would be just as well. You might
take Lorraine with you. And you might stop sounding so suspicious while you're about it," he added,
the Dutch accent emphasizing itself. "It's business. Layn and I have investments together in a shipping
company. We're going to discuss stock and expansion. That's all. I haven't forgotten my own
engagement."
"I'm so relieved to hear it," Dirk said curtly. "If it is an engagement."
Gannon blinked. "I beg your pardon?"
"Dana isn't wearing a ring," he observed, "and I haven't heard any mention of a wedding date."
Gannon coughed. "There hasn't been time. I've been busy."
"Sure," Dirk said shortly. He jammed his hands into his pockets. "Dana, care to go for a walk with
me? Pratt's just driven up, and I know Gannon will have other things on his mind."
"Of course," she said in a ghostly tone. "Lorraine, would you like to come with us Sunday? Maybe we
could go back to see Katy and Maude?"
"I'd like that," Lorraine said, struggling for composure.
While they discussed times and plans, Pratt came in to join Gannon, and the two of them vanished into
the study behind the closed door.
Dirk was outspoken about the Sunday dinner and angrier than Dana had seen him since they became
acquainted.
"Layn here," he growled. "And when he's engaged to you! He might consider your feelings. Lorraine
told me what she said to you in town!"
"He doesn't know what she said," she told him quietly. "I didn't think it was necessary to tell him. I can
handle Layn myself."
"So you think," he returned darkly. "She'd cut you into ribbons, and you know it. She's been after
Gannon for a long time, despite the fact that she ran after the accident. I've always thought it was as
much because she thought he'd blame her as because she didn't want to be around a blind man."
"Did he love her very much?" she asked.
"I don't know my brother that well. He's very good at disguising his feelings." He shrugged. "But they
were together most of the time until he was blinded."
She felt sick all over. And now it was starting again: she was going to lose him. And there was
nothing she could do. She didn't have the weapons to fight a woman like Layn.
"Maybe it really is business," she said softly.
"Maybe cows will run computers," he scoffed. "Don't kid yourself, honey; they don't need to meet
here on a Sunday to do something they could manage over the phone."
Tears sprung to her eyes, but she blinked them away, too proud to let him see how hurt she was.
"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I shouldn't have said that. It could be innocent..."
"You don't have to tell me something I already know," she said softly. "He doesn't love me; he said as
much."
"But you love him very much."
She nodded. "Fortunes of war," she laughed bitterly.
"The first time in my life, and it had to be man like Gannon.... If only I were beautiful and worldly and
sophisticated!"
"You wouldn't be the girl you are," he corrected. "I like you as you are. So does he."
"Like," she agreed. "Not love. And it wouldn't be enough, eventually. It's just as well. I'll be sad for a
while, but I'll get over him."
"Will you really?" he asked, eyeing her.
She turned away. "Let's go look for sand crabs. They fascinate me, the way they dive into the sand to
hide.
Look, there's one...!"
He watched her with sad eyes, wishing there was something he could do to ease the pain she was
trying to hide.
But he was as helpless as she was.
Dana had been hoping that the other woman wouldn't show up until after she and Dirk and Lorraine
had left the house on Sunday. But as luck would have it, Layn was on the doorstep before Lorraine
had finished dressing.
"Well, hello, darling," she told Dirk as he answered the door. She was resplendent in a sea-blue dress [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]